


Hide and Seek

by hollyhock13



Series: Whumptober 2019 [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Detective Comics (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: ...Yay?, A Lonely Place of Living (Detective Comics #963-968), Angst, Bruce is...not my favorite right now, Explosions, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Prompt: Explosions, Psychological Trauma, Tim Drake Deserves Better, Tim Drake-centric, Whumptober 2019, for months of solitary confinement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-22 04:31:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20868242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyhock13/pseuds/hollyhock13
Summary: Tim is back. So why does everything feel wrong?





	Hide and Seek

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again to [ @Ursapharoh15](%E2%80%9C) for some great advice and help! Once again, all mistakes are mine. Prompt was “Explosions”

Tim did it. He made it back to Earth and Gotham and his family, and everything should be good.

So why does he feel so bad?

Bruce had hugged him when he got back. It was warm and comforting, but strangely uncomfortable. Tim thinks it was probably a side effect of months in isolation.Or maybe it was a side effect of a tradition borne of such tragedy. (Don’t think about that, Tim, _don’t think about _ _ when Bruce was gone._)

Tim saw his case. The one like Jason’s, a Robin dead in the line of duty. (Not dead. Just gone. A pretender, just like Jason said.) He doesn’t know what the inscription said.It’s gone by the time he goes back to the cave.

Nobody questions it when he goes back out as Red Robin.  _They should_,  he thinks. He knows he isn’t ready. They know he isn’t ready. But out he went, because  _what else is there?_

He shouldn’t have been out. He shouldn’t have been there when the West Side Warehouse went up in a ball of fire.But there he was, and there he remained until everyone was out and the warehouse has turned to a pile of smoking rubble.He returned to the cave, exhausted and hurting.

The pain didn’t make itself known until the adrenaline had worn off, which suddenly makes the trek home a daunting possibility.He’s planning the best route when the Batmobile finally arrives.

“Get in,” Bruce says. Tim does.

The ride home reminds Tim why he appreciates nice cars. The fluid speed and handling, the restrained power he can feel through the seats.  _This_,  he thinks,  _this is what a car should be._

He’s shaken from his thoughts by Bruce’s voice. “Are you alright?” He rumbles.

Tim’s heart sinks. Should he lie to the man, say he’s fine? Lie just a little and tell him about the physical injuries he still needs to take stock of? Tell him how he still panics when he’s all alone, but can’t stand to be near anyone? How he’s angry, angry at the universe for doing this to him, angry at Bruce for not rescuing him,  _angry at himself for believing he would?_

He’s quiet for too long, it seems, as Batman turns to look at him. He turns away, unsure what will show on his face.

“Tim?” This one is Bruce. No artificial deepness or ragged growl, just the natural timbre he rarely lets through these days. Or maybe just rarely around Tim? ( _Stop thinking like that! _ He berates himself.)

“Tim, are you injured?”

You could say that. _Hurt_ might be better. “I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think so?”

Tim shrugs. 

“That blast was pretty intense. We’ll have Alfred look you over when we get back.”

“Because you can’t be bothered to look at me,” Tim mumbles. 

Bruce blinks. “What did you say, son?”

“...why won’t you look at me?”

“What are you talking about?” He still hasn’t glanced over.

“That! Just—that! You won’t even look at me! What did I do wrong?”

Bruce doesn’t say a word. It makes the anger bubbling slowly in Tim’s belly rise rapidly into a full boil.

“LOOK AT ME!” He shouts, sound filling the confined space. 

Bruce glances over, and the confusion in his eyes makes the rage bubble over. Tim rips off his gauntlets and mask.

“Did you even look?” He asks, deadly quiet, staring at the domino in his hands.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Tim. Are you feeling alright?”

“Did you even look?!” Tim screams. “When I was gone, locked away for months on end. Did you even bother to look for me?!”

“Of course I did, you’re my s—“

“DON’T. Don’t you DARE patronize me with your lies; I found you. Even when everyone said you were dead, even when Dick said I was CRAZY for even LOOKING! I FOUND YOU IN TIME. And you,” He pauses for a shaky breath, “you couldn’t even be bothered to look for me.”

“Tim—“

“Don’t. We’re done here.”

The car rolls to a stop in the cave. The silence is eerie as Tim climbs out of the car and slams the car door just to be reminded of the boom.

He walks away and doesn’t look back.


End file.
